Cognitive: explaining depression

• The cognitive approach examines how depression involves negative patterns of thinking and cognitive processes such as schema.
• Beck's Cognitive Theory of Depression:

  • Beck suggested a person's cognitions/thought processes make them more vulnerable to depression
  • 3 components of negative thinking patterns
• Beck's 3 components of negative thinking patterns:

  1. Faulty information processes - when depressed, we pay attention to the negative aspects of a situation and ignore the positive
  2. Negative self-schema - a self-schema is the package of information we have about ourselves. People with depression interpret all information about themselves negatively
  3. Negative triad - when depressed, people have negative thoughts about: self, world and future
• Ellis' ABC Model:

  • Ellis proposed that good mental health is the result of rational thinking
  • conditions like depression result from irrational thoughts (any thoughts that interfere with us being happy or free from pain)
• Ellis' ABC Model:

  A = Activating events (triggers irrational beliefs e.g. failing tests)

  B = Belief (irrational, contribute to depression e.g. belief we 'must' achieve perfection

  C = Consequences (emotional and behavioural consequences after activating event triggers beliefs)
• Evaluations of the cognitive approach in explaining depression:

  strengths: Practical applications

  (it forms the basis of cognitive behavioural therapy in which the cognitive aspects of depression are identified and challenged by a therapist)

  This is a strength because the explanation translates into a successful therapy. Butler et al reviewed 16 meta-analyses of CBT and concluded that CBT was a highly effective treatment for depression.
• Evaluations of the cognitive approach in explaining depression:

  Limitations: Neglects Biology: evidence for depression having a biological component as low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin are associated with depression. This means that the approach ignores potential causes of depression, meaning that the cognitive approach is not a complete explanation for depression.
• Evaluations of the cognitive approach in explaining depression:

  Limitation: blames the client rather than situational factors. The approach suggests that the client is responsible for their disorder. However, it ignores situational factors such as life events and how these could contribute to depression.

  Limitation: doesn't consider how changing their life circumstances (rather than cognition) may help their depression.
• Cognitive approach: Key assumptions

  1. To explain behaviour, we must refer to thought processes
  2. We can make inferences about the mind by observing people's behaviour
  3. Depression is the result of faulty thought processes
• Behavioural characteristics of depression:

  • disruption to sleep and eating behaviour (either insomnia - reduced sleep or hypersomnia - increased sleep)
  • increased/decreased appetite
  • activity levels: reduced energy = withdraw from life
  • aggression to others and self and self-harm
• Emotional characteristics of depression:

  • low mood/self-esteem
  • feelings of worthlessness and emptiness
  • anger: directed at others or self (leads to self-harm behaviour)
• Cognitive characteristics of depression:

  • attending to and dwelling on the negative (e.g. bias towards recalling unhappy events)
  • poor concentration - can't stick to a task and find decision-making difficult
• What are the 3 components of negative thinking patterns according to Beck?

  Faulty information processes, negative triad, negative self-schema